Academic Writing Task 1 · bar chart

Annual housing construction in the cities of Derby and Nottingham 2000-2009

The bar chart below shows the number of houses built per year in two cities, Derby and Nottingham, Between 2000 and 2009.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

The number of houses built per year in the cities of Derby and Nottingham (number of houses)
01002003004005002000200120022003200420052006200720082009
  • Derby
  • Nottingham
View the data
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
Derby404080120120120120120270340
Nottingham5060205070801019020250

Chart redrawn by BandLadder from the data in the original IELTS practice task. Many IELTS practice tasks come from the Cambridge IELTS series (Cambridge University Press & Assessment); all rights in the original tasks remain with their owners.

Band 8 sample answer

The bar chart illustrates the annual number of new houses constructed in Derby and Nottingham between 2000 and 2009. Overall, both cities experienced significant fluctuations in housing construction, with Derby showing a more consistent upward trend towards the end of the period compared to the erratic output in Nottingham.

In 2000, Derby built 40 houses, while Nottingham started slightly higher at 50. Derby’s production increased steadily to 120 houses by 2003, a level it maintained until 2007. Conversely, Nottingham’s figures were highly volatile; after reaching 60 in 2001, construction plummeted to a low of 20 in 2002, before recovering to 80 by 2005. A sharp decline occurred in Nottingham in 2006, with only 10 houses built, followed by a dramatic surge to 190 in 2007.

The final two years saw a marked divergence. Derby experienced a substantial growth spurt, rising from 270 houses in 2008 to a peak of 340 in 2009. Meanwhile, Nottingham’s output dropped back to 20 in 2008 before rebounding to 250 in 2009. Despite Nottingham’s occasional spikes, Derby consistently outperformed its neighbour in the final three years of the decade.

184 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

How to write about bar charts

fluctuations
irregular rising and falling in number or amount
erratic
not even or regular in pattern or movement
volatile
liable to change rapidly and unpredictably for worse
surged
increased suddenly and powerfully after a period
divergence
the process of becoming different from something else
outperformed
performed better than another person or group

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Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

Overall, both cities experienced significant fluctuations in housing construction, with Derby showing a more consistent upward trend towards the end of the period compared to the erratic output in Nottingham.

How long should an IELTS Task 1 answer be?

At least 150 words; 170 to 200 is the safe range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

How do I describe bar charts?

Compare the biggest and smallest bars before anything else. If the bars show years, describe change; if they show places, describe rank. Round sensibly and say 'just over' or 'nearly' rather than guessing decimals.

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